Gretel Muller 'Franz Wolf"
Gretel Muller "Franz Wolf " (June 16, 1838 - October 24, 1926) is a young woman who is of German Heritage. Shew was born to a wealthy German Family living in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1838. Gretel disguised herself as a man, later known as Franz Wolf, to enlist in the Union Army. She speaks English, and German. Early Life Before Gretel was born, her parents came from Munich, Germany. Her father was a school teacher in Cincinnati, but tought Gretel privately at home. She got her first job at age 14 where she worked as a tailor and made clothing, then later a potter at age 18. Her cousin Thomas, and her father would both soon join in a bloody attempt to keep the nation together in the American Civil War. Military Career Enlistment and Danger In 1861, Gretel disguised herself as a man and enlisted in the 9th Ohio Infantry, with her father's approval of course. Gretel, her cousin, Thomas, and her father all enlisted in the 9th Ohio Infantry Regiment, Company K. The 9th Ohio was the only regiment in the state of Ohio to be issued Austrian Lorenz Rifles througout the war and commonly wore felt hats. Gretel first saw combat at the Battle of Shiloh at the Hornet's Nest in 1862. Then later at the Battle of Perryville, October 8, 1862, she was knocked uncocious from a Confederate Soldier hitting her in the head while in a bloody fire fight in a cornfield. Among the Wounded and Dying When Gretel awoke, she felt a throbing pain coming from her forehead, and was serparated from her cousin, and her father and was forced to lay on the ground over night in a daze while hearing the cries in pain coming from the wounded. She turned to her left, only to see a wounded young Confederate Soldier calling out to her, he couldn't have been older than maybe 15 or 16 at the time. He reached his hand out to her and cried out, "Billy Yank, help me, please! I don't want to die here thinking I will never see my family again... Please yank, help me..." Without hesitation, Gretel came to, despite her head wound, and helped the man out of this god forsaken ground upon which housed a slaughter. She got the boy to a military hospital where the boy was treated for his wounds, aswell as Gretel herself is reated for her head wound. Gretel searched for her cousin Thomas, and her father. She didn't see their names in the dead or wounded, but she did see them as missing in action. Shocked, she dropped to the floor and cried knowing that they are most likely dead, sence that is what happens to most men and boys who are missing. A New Day The next morning, Gretel is still at the military hospital, she was placed in a tent on a cot next to the boy she had saved. Both were hot, tired, and scared, but had survived their wounds and recovered. They got to know each other, and became friends. The boy's name was Ethan O'Sullivan, who is an Irish - Scott from Kentucky who served in a Kentucky Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Gretel showed her true identity to him 6 months later after they were released from the hospital in good health. Shocked, Ethan couldn't believe that Franz was actually a lass. Gretel remembers him saying, "You got a lot of guts to do such a brave and heroic thing Gretel, I like that." The two then fought out the rest of the war, defending themselves by killing their own friends, which wasn't an easy task to do, and their enemies. The two were unstoppable, not even the Grey Ghost could stop them. During their fight against both sides during the war, Gretel had an encounter with her cousin Thomas, who she couldn't quite make out at first, but knew it was him because of his skinny body and his facial features. Leaving America After the war, they left America where they lived in Wales to avoid being tried in court, sent to prison, then killed. Gretel and Ethan never saw their parents, old friends, or family members again untill 1880. Gretel and Ethan got married in 1867, changing her maiden name to O'Sullivan and having 2 children, a son, and a daughter. Gretel's Father and her cousin Thomas survived the war, but were never able to contact Gretel untill 1880. In 1880, Gretel came back to America temporarily with Ethan where surprisingly, both of their families were still waiting for them to come home. The couple reunited with their families and began to communicate with them once more.